Resilient valve mounting assembly



1958 w. F. ELSER 3. 5

- RESILIENT VALVE MOUNTING ASSEMBLY Filed Aug. 25. 1955 1 .4 A Wf ,2.

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M ATTORNEYS the aerosol type.

United States Patent Oflfice William F. Elser, Toledo, Ohio, assignor to Owens-Illinois Glass Company, a corporation of Ohio Application August 23, 1955, Serial No. 530,113 4 Claims. l. 299-95 This invention relates'to a non-metallic'valve mounting assembly for use within ap'ressurizedcontainer of Containers such as those used for dispensingpressur- "ized foams and sprays and other various fluids are well known. However, it has been common to package these substances in containers having metallic valve mounting assemblies, and due to' the corrosive nature of many of the substances so packaged, these metallic assemblies become badly corroded, and, either cease to function properly or adversely affect the contents in the container. In order to effectively overcome the corrosive effects of such substances it is therefore desirable to replace them with like components of non-metallic composition, such as rubber or plastic. However, when non-metallic components are used it becomes difficult to obtain the rigidity necessary to maintain a secure assemblage of these nonmetallic components throughout the repeated operational cycles to which they must be subjected.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide an improved non-metallic valve mounting assembly for an aerosol type container that will maintain its assembled relation throughout repeated opening and closing of the discharge valve.

Another object is to provide a valve mounting assembly requiring a minimum number of non-metallic parts. a

The specific nature of this invention, as well as other objects and advantages thereof, will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the drawing on which, by way of preferred assembly only, is illustrated a selected embodiment of this invention.

On the drawing:

Fig. l is a central vertical sectional view of a container embodying this invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary view of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view of the valve mounting assembly in its dispensing position;

Fig. 4 is a central sectionalview of the non-stressed resilient valve.

Referring to the drawings in detail, numeral represents a non-metallic. aerosol type container of the configuration commonly utilized in packaging pressurized fluids. The container 10is conventionally formed with a cup-shaped non-metallic main body portion 11 defining an open end 11a for filling or dispensing the pressurized contents of the container. Fitting over the open' end 11a of the container there is an inverted cup-shaped non-metallic head portion 12 which is secured to the container by engaging the internal threads 13 on the main Patented Dec. 9, 1958 body portion 11 with the'external threads 14 located on the head portion 12. Preferably, these threads 13 and 14 are coated with a suitable plastic cement before they are so engaged. The container head portion 12, which is of unit molded construction, has an external upwardly facing annular channel 15 in surrounding relationship to a cylindrical bore 16 extending transversely through the center of the head portion 12. The wall of the cylindrical bore acts as a plunger guide 17. Additionally, the head portion 12 defines a downwardly opening annular groove 18 in concentric relation to the cylindrical bore 16 to thereby form the tubular plunger guide 17 having an annular valve seat 19 defined on the internal axial end thereof. As illustrated, the inner wall of the annular groove 18 also forms the wall of the tubular plunger guide 17.

A non-metallic plunger 20 is provided having an integral flexible radial flange 21 terminating in a depending peripheral flange 22, mountable within the annular channel 15 in press fit relationship, and a tubular stem portion 23; slidably moveable within the cylindrical bore 16 and frictionally engaging the wall thereof. As best shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the plunger 20 when so mounted is positioned with the end portion 24 of the plunger stem 23 terminating just short of the interior end portion 25 of the plunger guide 17. i

A resilient non-metallic valve 26 having a hub-shaped imperforate central body portion 27 is connected by a radial skirt 28 having openings 29 therein to a thickened annular rim portion 30. The resilient valve 26 when being mounted is flexed from its normal configuration, as shown in Fig. 4, so that the central body portion 27 is seatable on the valve seat 19 and biased thereagainst, While the valve rim portion 30 is positioned in the annular groove 18. The outer wall 31 of the annular groove 18 is provided with a re-entrant portion 32 which defines an annular retaining lip 33. To hold the resilient valve 26 in this flexed, or normally closed position, a non-metallic retaining funnel 34 is provided which is formed of nylon or a similar material possessing limited flexibility. The retaining funnel 34 has a peripheral rim portion 35, cross-sectionally shaped to resemble an N, which is snugly insertable into the annular groove 18. The rim portion 35 is comprised of an interconnected inner rib 36 and outer rib 37 which combine to define an annular notch 38 which engages the valve rim 30. When thus inserted, the retaining lip 33 holds the retaining funnel 34 in position. To the opposite end of the retaining funnel 34, there is attached in press-fit relationship a hollow non-metallic discharge tube 39 which extends into the interior of the container 10 and terminates near the bottom 40 thereof.

In addition a hollow rotatable cap 41 of non-metallic construction is provided having a radial discharge opening 42 extending through the wall 43 thereof. The cap 41 is further provided with an annular recess 44 in the periphery of the inner wall 43 which coacts with a protruding bead 45 on the outer periphery of the plunger 20 in snap-fit relationship.

When the cap 41 is so secured to the plunger 26 the hollow central portion 47 of the cap 41 communicates with both thedischarge opening 42 therein and the tubular central passage 48 extending axially through the plunger 20 and which in turn communicates with the radial slots 49 in the plunger end portion 24 to form a, series of interconnected passageways.

and outer wall 31 of the annular groove 18.

As best shown in Fig. 3, to dispense the pressurized contents from the container an axially downward force F, is exerted upon the concave surface 50 of the cap 41, thereby depressing the plunger attached thereto and simultaneously stressing the flexible radial flange 21. This displacement of the plunger 20 and stem portion 23 thereof forces the hub-shaped central body portion 27 of the resilient valve 26 away from its valve seat 19 by elongatingthe valve skirt 28 and thereby permits the pressurized contents within the container '10 to flow through the valve openings 29, through the radial plunger slots 49, and out through the discharge opening 42 in the cap 41.

When force F is applied to the cap 41 another directly proportional force F is transmitted downwardly upon the inner rib 3.6 by the action of the resilient valve rim 30 thereon. Force F then wedges the N-shaped rim againstthe annular retaining lip 33 In addition, the resilient valve rim 30 when acting upon the inner rib 36 with a force F tends to pivot about the inner rib 36, thereby, acting upon the outer rib 37 with a directionally outward force pressing it more firmly against the outer wall 31.

Thus, it is apparent that the actuating force F that is applied to dispense the pressurized contents of container 10 further serves to lock the valve mounting assembly securely in position during the discharge operation.

It will, of course, be understood that various details of construction may be modified through a wide range without departing from the principles of this invention, and it is, therefore, not the purpose to limit the patent granted hereon otherwise than as necessitated by the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. The combination with an aerosol-type container having a filling and dispensing end, and a resilient discshaped control valve for regulating the dispensation of the containers pressurized contents, in Which said control valve includes an imperforate central portion and a thickened rim portion inter-connected by a perforate radial skirt, of an improved valve mounting assembly comprising; a discharge head on said filling and dispensing end of said container, said discharge head defining a vertical fluid passage and an annular groove encompassing the inner end of said fluid passage, the groove defining portion of said head portion including spacedapart and radially opposed walls, the innermost of said walls having a tubular configuration adapted to axially abut said valve central portion in sealing relationship, an annular retainer having a peripheral portion generally N-shaped in radial cross-section partially surrounding said valve rim portion and confining same within said annular groove, said peripheral portion including an inner rib and a radially spaced flexible outer rib interconnected by an inclined web wall, whereby a vertical opening force exterted on the central portion of said valve produces a radially outward force urging said outer rib against the outermost wall of said groove.

2. The combination with an aerosol-type container having a filling and dispensing end, and a resilient discshaped control valve for regulating the dispensation of the containers pressurized contents, in which said control valve includes an imperfo-rate central portion and a thickened rim portion interconnected by a perforate radial skirt, of an improved valve mounting assembly comprising; a head portion covering said filling and dispensing end and provided with means for securing said head portion to said container, said head portion having a tubular guide member defining a central bore extending through said head portion, said guide member being adapted to normally seat against the central portion of said valve to close said bore relative to the contents of said container; means having a flexible peripheral portion N-shaped in radial cross-section engaging the thickened rim portion of said valve and resiliently biasing the central portion thereof into seating engagement with said guide member; a plunger having a tubular stern portion mounted for frictional sliding movement within said bore and having an end portion engageable with said valve central portion to selectively displace same from seating engagement with said guide member in response to such sliding movement, means formed on said plunger in press fit engagement with said head portion to maintain said plunger and said head portion in assembled relationship, and said last mentioned means being flexible to accommodate relative movement between said'plunger stem portion and said head portion.

3, The combination with an aerosol-type container having a filling and dispensing end, and a resilient disc-shaped control valve for regulating the dispensation of the containers pressurized contents, in which said control valve includes an imperforate central portion and a thickened rim portion interconnected by a perforate radial skirt, of an improved valve mounting assembly comprising; a cupshaped non-metallic head portion substantially closing said filling and dispensing opening and being provided 'with threaded means for securing said head portion to said container, said head portion havinga tubular guide member depending integrally therefrom defining a valve seat at its innermost axial end, said valve seat normally engaging the central portion of said valve to close said filling and dispensing opening; flexible means defining a peripheral portion N-shaped in radial cross-section engaging the thickened rim portion of said valve and cooperating with said head portion to resiliently maintain the engagement between said valve seat and said valve; a non-metallic operating plunger carried by said head portion mounted for frictional sliding movement within said guide member and having a tubular stern portion defining anaxial discharge passage extending through said head portion, a flange extending radially from said plunger and engaging said head portion in press-fit relationship, said flange being flexible to accommodate limited relative movement between said stem portion and said head portion, said plunger defining a radial opening therein communicating with said discharge passage adjacent to said valve seat and receiving the pressurized contents of said container when said plunger is slidably moved to displace said valve from seating engagement with said guide member.

4. A valve mounting assembly for selectively regulating the discharge of the pressurized contents of an aerosol-type container having a filling and dispensing opening therein comprising, in combination; a cup-shaped non-metallic head portion substantially closing said container filling and dispensing opening and having a peripheral portion adapted for threaded securement to said container, said head portion being provided with a transverse central bore extending therethrough and an external upwardly facing annular channel and an internal downwardly opening annular groove in surrounding relationship with said bore, said bore and said groove being separated by a tubular guide member depending from said head portion having an annular valve seat defined on the lowermost axial end thereof; a disc-shaped resilient valve having an imperforate central portion normally engaging said valve seat to close the lowermost end of said bore relative to the contents of said container, said valve having a perforate skirt portion integrally connecting said central portion to a thickened rim portion positioned within said annular groove; an annular non-metallic retainer having a flexible rim portion N-shaped in radial cross-section confining said valve rim portion within said annular groove and resiliently biasing said valve central portion against said valve seat; a non-metallic openendedt hul ppe ati gg p ug ae ca e ys id h ada tion having a reduced diameter axial stem portion slidably mounted for snug slidable movement within said central bore, a flexible Iadlll flange integrally formed on said plunger occupying said annular channel in pressfit relationship, said stem portion having an annular inner end seating against the central portion of said valve and defining a radial inlet opening extending through the Wall of the stem portion adjacent to said valve, whereby in response to selective movement of said plunger said valve may be displaced from said valve seat and permit the pressurized contents of said container to be discharged through said plunger.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

